Combination locks



July H4, 1970 MARTELLINI I 3,520,160

' COMBINATION LOCKS Filed Aug. 1, 1968 4 Sheets-$heet l J y 1970 RMARTELLINII 3,520,160

COMBINATION LOCKS Filed Aug. 1L 1968 4 Sheets-Sm July 14, 1970 R.MARTELLINI 3,520,160

COMBINATION LOCKS Filed Aug. 1 1968 4 Sheets-$hcvi July 14, 1970 R.MARTELLINI 3,520,160

COMBINAT ION LOCKS Filed Aug. 1, 1968 4 Sheets-She et 4 Fig.12

United States Patent Int. cif Eb 37/12 US. Cl. 70312 6 Claims ABSTRACTOF THE DISCLOSURE A combination lock for a safe door has fourcombination devices each required to be set to a predetermined angularposition before the safe door can be unlocked. Each combination deviceis angularly biased into a predetermined angular position and. isallowed to return to its predetermined angular position only onrebolting the door after the correct combination has been selected toallow the door to be unbolted. Y

FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to combinationlocks.

An object of the invention is to provide an improved combination lockwhich, once the correct combination has been selected to allow the doorto be unbolted, will on rebolting of the door automatically displace thecorrect combination.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved combinationlock which can be opened from the inside of the door without requiringthe selection of a correct combination.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides a combinationlock for locking and unlocking a door, comprising a body member mountedon said door, a cap member housing said body member and having twodial-receiving apertures therein, means mounting said cap member withrespect to said body member for both rotational movement with respect tosaid body member and axial movement between a first and a secondpredetermined position with respect to said body member, a firstcombination device having a dial member and disc means, said disc meanshaving a first peripheral slot therein, means mounting said firstcombination device for angular rotation with respect to said body memberwhereby said dial member extends through a corresponding one of saiddial-receiving apertures of said cap member when said cap member is insaid first predetermined position, and lies spaced from said cap memberwhen in said second predetermined position, a second combination devicehaving a dial member and disc means, said disc means having a secondperipheral slot therein, means mounting said second combination devicefor angular rotation with respect to said body member, whereby the dialmember of the second combination device extends through a correspondingother of said dial-receiving apertures of said cap member when said capmember is in said first predetermined position, and lies spaced fromsaid dial member when in said second predetermined axial position, alocking element having first and second teeth, means mounting saidlocking element for axial movement with respect to said body memberbetween said combination devices whereby said first and second teeth canrespectively engage in said first and second slots, means connectingsaid locking element with said cap member for simultaneous axialmovement whereby axial movement of both said cap member and said lockingelement is allowed only when said first and second slot are aligned withsaid first and second teeth, a locking bolt slidable between an open anda closed position with respect to said door, rack means rigid with saidlocking bolt, pinion means engaging with said rack means and rotatableto cause said locking bolt to slide between the open and closedpositions, and means connecting said cap means with said pinion meansfor simultaneous rotation whereby rotation of said cap means in saidsecond predetermined axial position causes said locking bolt to movebetween its open and closed position.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a longitudinal section ofthe lock embodying the invention in a position of closure;

FIG. 2 is a section taken on the line 11-11 of FIG. 1 to a reducedscale;

FIG. 3 is a section taken on the line IIIIII of FIG. 2;

FIGS. 4 and 5 are respectively a view taken on the line IV-IV and asection on the line VV of FIG. 1;

FIGS. 6 and 7 show the lock of FIG. 1, when the correct combination hasbeen selected respectively in an open and closed position;

FIGS. 8, 9, 10 and 11 are respectively a section taken on the lineVIIIVIII of FIG. 2; a section taken on the line IXIX of FIG. 7, asection on the line IXIX of FIG. 7 showing a modification and a sectiontaken on the line XlXl of FIG. 10;

FIG. 12 is a section taken on the line XII-XII of FIG. 1;

FIG. 13 is an exploded sectional view of one of the combination devices;

FIGS. 14 and 15 are respectively views taken on the lines XIV--XIV andXVXV of FIG. 13;

FIGS. 16 and 17 are sections taken on the line XVI XVI of FIG. 12 withthe lock respectively in a closed and open position; and

FIG. 18 is a section taken on the line XVIII-XVIII of FIG. 7.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT In FIGS. 1 to 3, a door 1supports the combination lock embodying the invention. A housing 3 ismounted on the inside of the door 1, in which a locking bolt 5 isslidably mounted. The travel or stroke of the locking bolt 5 in thedirections of the double arrow shown in FIG. 2 is limited both by a pin3B rigid with the housing 3 which engages slot 5A in the locking bolt 5,and by an operational knob 5B, which is slidably engaged in a slot 30 inthe housing 3. A resiliently biased ball 6 can engage notches in thelocking bolt 5 to define the closed and open positions of the bolt. Arack 7 rigidly secured to one sde of the bolt 5 meshes with a pinion 9.The pinion 9 is keyed onto a shaft 18 so as to be able to slide axiallybut not rotationally relative thereto. The bolt 5 can be operated fromthe inside of the door by means of the knob 5B after a button 12 hasbeen operated to release the shaft 10 from the engagement with anarrangement on the outside of the door, which would otherwise preventthe rotation of the shaft 10.

On the outside of the door 1, that is, on the side of the door oppositethat on which the housing 3 is mounted, there is provided a combinationlocking arrangement. The arrangement includes a plate 16, having aninwardly inclined peripheral edge 16A, which plate engages the door 1. Acollar 16B of the plate 16 extends into a bore 1A, cut in the door 1which bore also houses the shaft 10; the collar 16B being coaxial withthe shaft 10. A ring 18 integral with the collar 16B slidably supports asleeve 20 therein. One end portion of the sleeve 20 is provided with(see FIG. 8) an enlarged circular bore 20A eccentrically located withrespect to the longitudinal axis of the sleeve. The normal bore and theenlarged bore 20A of the sleeve meet to define a step within the sleevewhose height varies circumferentially from zero to a maximum. The shaft10 housed in the sleeve 20 is provided with a resiliently biased pin 22which extends radially to the wall of the bore 20A; the pin 22 beingengageable with the step within the sleeve 20.

A block 24 is secured to the plate 16 and thereby to the door 1. Theblock 24 defines a central recess 24A co-axial to the shaft 10, and fourouter recesses 24B lying angularly spaced around the block 24, eachbeing arranged to receive a combination device. The block 24 can beadvantageously connected to the housing 3 by means of bolts 26 (see FIG.1).

An operational cap 28 houses the block 24 and is provided with acylindrical skirt 28A which surrounds the block 24 and extends into theperipheral edge 16 A of the plate 16. The operation cap 28 has a hubportion 28B which extends into the central recess 24A and lies coaxialwith both the shaft 10 and the block 24. The hub portion 28B hasa cavity30 within which an annular abutment ring 32 (see FIG. 9) is rigidlysecured. The abutment ring 32 accommodates a reduced diameter endportion 10B of the shaft 10'. The end portion 10B of the shaft'10 isprovided with a transversely extending pin 34 which can engage adiametral notch 32A in the ring 32 and thereby lock the shaft 10 to theoperational cap 28.

The combination devices to be described hereinafter prevent the rotationof the operational cap 28 with respect to the block 24, until the cap 28 is moved from the position shown in FIGS. 1 and 7 into the positionshown in FIG. 6. This axial movement of the operational cap 28 isprevented until the combination devices are all positionally operatedfor lock release. Only when these combination devices, are accuratelypositioned will the cap 28 be allowed to slide from the position shownin FIG. 1 to the position shown in FIG. 6 and thereafter rotated to openthe look. While the cap 28 is in a closure position, as shown in FIG. 1,a spring 14 axially biases the shaft 10 so that the transversely mountedpin 34 engages the notch 32A. Under these conditions, the meanspreventing the rotation of the outer operational cap 28 thereby preventthe simple operation of the locking bolt by the knob 5B. The latteroperation can however be performed when the button 2 is operated toaxially urge the shaft in the direction of the arrow i until the pin 34disengages from the notch 32A. The axial stroke or travel of the shaftis limited by the resiliently biased pin 22 engaging the step inside thesleeve 20.

The cap 28 as shown in FIG. 1 is located by means of a resilientlybiased ball 36 engaging a notch in the interior of the skirt 28A.

The sleeve '20 which can slide into and out of the recess 24A in theblock 24 is provided with four teeth C, angularly spaced around theperiphery of the sleeve at intervals of 90 (see FIG. 12). The sleeve 20includes means defining a channel externally thereof with which a rod 38rigid with the block 24 can slidably engage to prevent the sleeve 20from rotating.

Each of the four combination devices is housed in the block 24 in acorresponding one of the four outer recesses 24B. Also each combinationdevice has an operational disc 42 which extends through a correspondingaperture 28E in the operational cap 28.

Each combination device includes a shaft 40 on which the operationaldisc 42 is mounted. Each operational disc 42 is provided with agraduated scale, which may be provided, for example, with numbers. Eachdisc 42 has a control knob 42A. Within each recess 24B, thecorresponding shaft 40 is made rigid with a flanged member 44. A coiledspring 46 wound about the member 44 is anchored at one end to a rod 48rigid with the block 24 and at the other end to the member 44 itself.The member 44 is coupled to a small circular plate 52 (see FIGS. 13 and15) and a toothed disc 54 by means of a pin 50 ex tending throughcorresponding apertures in their periph eries. The plate 52 and thetoothed disc 54 are mounted on a flanged bush 56 which is secured bymeans of a screw 58 to one end of the shaft 40. The plate 52 is providedwith a series of circumferential apertures each of which may be engagedby the pin 50. Thus the relative angular position of the plate 52 andthe toothed disc 54 can easily be adjusted by aligning the single hole54A of the toothed disc with a selected one of the holes 52A in theplate 52 and then looking them together by means of the pin 50. Thecircular plate 52, which is of steel and lies between the members 44 and54, has a single tooth slot 5213, which in each of the relative angularpositions of the plate 52 and the toothed disc 54 allowed by the pin 50,will find itself in alignment with one of the tooth slots of the tootheddisc 54. Consequently the possible relative angular positions of themember 44 and the members 52 and 54, which can be located by the pin 50corresponds to one of the graduated marks on the disc knob 42 (or on theperiphery of the housing 28E) which is indicated by a stationary indexfinger.

A resiliently mounted pin 60 (see FIGS. 12 16 and 17) co-operates withthe teeth of the toothed disc 54 in such a manner as to define aplurality of stable positions of the assembled items 40, 42, 44, 52, 54.In each of these stable positions defined by the pin 60 a tooth 20C ofthe sleeve 20 enages with the toothed disc 54. As the plate 52, lyingadjacent the toothed disc 54, has only a single tooth slot 52B the slot52B will be located in alignment with the corresponding tooth 20C of thesleeve 20 in one angular position only of the assembled items 40, 42,44, 52, 54. Only when all four sets of the assembled items of thecombination devices are located in such a position whereby the slots 52Bof the respective discs 52 are located in alignment with the four teeth20C of the sleeve 20, will the sleeve 20 be allowed to move axially inthe direction of the arrow i of FIG. 1, into the position shown in FIG.6. In all the other positions at least one tooth 20C will be lockedagainst axial movement by the periphery of the disc 52. Thus only whenall four of the assembled items are located in their opening positionsis it possible to move the operational cap 28 from the position shown inFIG. 1 to the position shown in FIG. 6 and thereby axially move theshaft 10, the pin 22, and the sleeve 20, the teeth 20C of which passthrough respective slots 52B of the four discs 52.

In the arrangement of FIG. 6 the cap 28 can be angularly rotated asthere is no interference between the discs 42 and the apertures 281-3,and so releasing the locking bolt 5 by means of the pin 34, the shaft 10and the pinion 9. The rotation of the members 28, 10, 9 does not causeangular rotation of the sleeve 20, which is prevented from rotating bythe rod 38 engaging with the channel formed in the sleeve 20. When thecap 28 has been rotated sufficiently to allow the door to open theresiliently biased pin 22 will have angularly moved around the bore 20Aby such an amount as to be located in a position diametrically oppositethe position shown in FIG. 8, that is, in the position shown in FIG. 7.In this position axial movement of the pin 22 by the shaft 10 is nolonger limited by the step in the bore of the sleeve, which step isnon-existent in this position. The operational cap 28 after rotationwill return into a position adjacent the body 24, (see FIG. 7) under theaction of the spring 14 which biases the shaft 10. The teeth 20C againpass through the slots 52B, as they move into engagement with thecombination devices. Thereafter a zero setting operation takes placewhich will be hereinafter described.

FIG. 7 shows the arrangement in an open position. In this position, itis possible to close the lock both from the inside (by pressing thebutton 12 and thereby disengaging the pin 34 from the shaft 10), andfrom the outside, as the pin 22 no longer engages the step within thesleeve 20 upon the axial movement of the operational cap 28.

The angular movement of each set of assembled items 40, 42, 44, 52 and54 taks place against the rotational bias of the spring 46, which isadvantageously supplemented by an initial pre-load of the spring. Thusthe spring 46 resiliently urges the assembled items in an angulardirection, towards a zeroing position. Each set of assembled items isprevented from normally returning (under the effect of the spring 46) tothe zero setting position, by the retaining effect of the pin 60, whichalso defines the stable angular positions of the toothed disc 54 withrespect to the teeth 20C. The retaining action of the pins 60 whichcannot normally be overcome by the spring 46, can however be overcome bymanual rotation of the discs 42.

The lock also has provision for automatic zeroing, that is for returningthe combination devices into a predetermined starting position whichannuls the combination. To achieve this the pins 60 are spaced from theteeth of the respective toothed discs 54, at the instant after the teeth20C have returned through the slots 52B in a direc tion opposite to thearrow E. To achieve this (see FIGS. 12, 16 and 17) the resilient pins 60are mounted on respective rocker arms 64 which pivot about pivots 66with respect to the block 24. Each rocker arm 64 is provided at an endremote from the pin 60 with a resiliently mounted lever 68, which asshown in FIGS. 16 and 17 can be rotated in the counter-clockwisedirection with respect to the rocker arm 64, but not in the clockwisedirection. The skirt 28A of the operational cap 28 is provided withinner projections 28F, which as the cap 28 is moved from the positionshown in FIGS. 1 and 16 into the position shown in FIGS. 6 and 17,engages the respective levers 68 to rotate them in a counterclockwisedirection, leaving the position of the rocker arms 64 unaltered. Whenthe cap 28 is returned (by hand or by effect of the spring 14) from theposition shown in FIGS. 6 and 17 to the position shown in FIGS. 1 and16, the inner projections 28F which have a sloping profile, engage thelevers 68, causing thereby a small angular movement in thecounter-clockwise direction of the respective rocker arms 64 about thepins 66. The pins 60 are thus disengaged for a short time from therespective teeth of the discs 54, allowing the biasing action of therespective springs 46 on the respective sets of assembled items 40, 42,44, 52, 54, to return them to a predetermined position that is, the zerosetting position. This zero setting position can be defined (see FIG. byprojections 42B carried internally by the knobs 42 and which co-operatewith the ends of the rods 48, which rods provide an anchoring for thesprings 46, the ends of the rods 48 thus forming the zeroing stops ofthe aforesaid sets of assembled units.

As has been already described the locking bolt 5 can be operated fromthe interior by pressing the button 12 and moving the knob 5B. In amodification, there is provided a knob in place of the button 12, whichis capable of controlling both the axial movement and the angularmovement of the shaft for operation from the inside of the door.

FIGS. 10 and 11 show a modification in which members similar to those ofthe hereinbefore described embodiment are similarly referenced. The ring32 is replaced by a bush 132 having a slot 132A. The slot 132A has asubstantially semi-circular central portion and two end recesses similarto those denoted by 32A in FIG. 9. A single pin 134 projects from theend 10B of the shaft 10 for engagement with one or other of the recessesof the slot 132A.

I claim:

1. In a combination lock for locking and unlocking a door,

a body member mounted on said door,

a cap member housing said body member and having two dial receivingapertures therein,

means mounting said cap member with respect to said body member for bothrotational movement with respect to said body member and axial movementbetween a first and a second predetermined position with respect to saidbody member,

a first combination device including a dial member and disc means, saiddisc means having a first peripheral slot therein,

means mounting said first combination device for angular rotation withrespect to said body member whereby said dial member extends through acorresponding one of said dial-receiving apertures of said cap memberwhen said cap member is in said first predetermined position, and liesspaced from said cap member when in said second predetermined position,

a second combination device including a dial member and disc means, saiddisc means having a second peripheral slot therein,

means mounting said second combination device for angular rotation withrespect to said body member, whereby the dial member of the secondcombination device extends through a corresponding other of said dialreceiving apertures of said cap member when said cap member is in saidfirst predetermined position, and lies spaced from said dial member whenin said second predetermined axial position,

a locking element including first and second teeth,

means mounting said locking element for axial movement with respect tosaid body member between said combination devices whereby said first andsecond teeth can respectively engage in said first and second slot,

means connecting said locking element with said cap member forsimultaneous axial movement whereby axial movement of both said capmember and said locking element is allowed only when said first andsecond slot are aligned with said first and second teeth,

a locking bolt slidable between an open and a closed position withrespect to said door,

rack means rigid with said locking bolt,

pinion means engaging with said rack means and rotatable to cause saidlocking bolt to slide between the open and closed positions, and

means connecting said cap means with said pinion means for simultaneousrotation whereby rotation of said cap means in said second predeterminedaxial position causes said locking bolt to move between its open andclosed position.

2. A combination lock according to claim 1 wherein said first and secondcombination devices each include a toothed disc,

means mounting said toothed disc co-axially with and rigid with saiddisc means,

resilient means having first and second end portions,

means mounting said first end portion of said resilient means rigidlywith said combination device and said second end portion rigidly withsaid body member whereby said resilient means urges said combinationdevice towards a predetermined angular position with respect to saidbody member,

pin means,

means mounting said pin means resiliently with respect to said bodymember to engage said toothed disc to prevent said combination devicewhen located in any angular position, from returning to saidpredetermined angular position under the action of said resilient means,and

release means rigid with said cap member and engaging with said pinmeans as said cap member is moved from said second to said firstpredetermined position whereby to cause said pin means to disengage saidtoothed disc and allow said combination device to rotate into saidpredetermined angular position.

3. A combination device according to claim 2 wherein the pin meanscomprises a pin,

7 an elongate member, means mounting said elongate member pivotally withrespect to said body member and for engagement with said pin,

an arm,

means mounting said arm pivotally with respect to said elongate memberadjacent an end thereof,

means biassing said arm into a fixed angular position with respect tosaid elongate member, whereby to allow said arm rotation in only oneangular direction from said fixed angular position, and said releasemeans of said cap member urging said arm to rotate in said one angulardirection when said cap member is moved from said first to said secondpredetermined position and urging said arm to act with said elongatemember, and thereby release or disengage said pin means from saidtoothed disc, when said cap member is moved from said second to saidfirst predetermined position.

4. A combination lock according to claim 2 wherein said toothed disc hasa single peripheral hole therein and said disc means has a plurality ofperipheral holes therein,

said toothed disc being angularly movable with respect to said discmeans whereby each of said plurality of holes can be aligned with saidsingle hole, and each said combination device includes rod meansextending through an aligned pair of holes whereby to lock the tootheddisc and said disc means in a predetermined relative angular positionand thereby determine the opening combination setting of the combinationlock.

5. A lock according to claim 1 wherein said cap member has a recesstherein and said means connecting said cap means With said pinion meanscomprises,

a shaft engaged with said pinion means for relative axial movement,

pin means rigid with said shaft and engageable with member has a stopextending the'refrom and said resilient means includes v j abutmentmeans mounted on said'body member adjacent each said dial member forengagementwith said stop on each said dial member to define" said predetermined angular position.

References Cited UNITED sTATEs PATENTS A I 2,120,142 6/1938 Deal of 211.70 -306 2,165,674 7/1939 Pelle- 1 'I70144 2,640,344 16/1953 Margo" anr70'- l3'3 2,896,439 7/1959 Holmberg 70156 2,928,271 3/1960 Watson70.-'-'25 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,079,433 8/1967 Great Britain. f

MARVIN A. CHAMPION, Primary Examiner R. L. WOLFE, Assistant Examiner US.Cl. X.R.

